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It’s funny that sometimes I can get so caught up in my own “stuff” that I sometimes don’t notice that there are folks around me experiencing troubles that are much more challenging than mine. Even though I’ve been overwhelmed at times with my Dad’s health care concerns, I know that I am not the only one struggling. In just the last few weeks several friends have shared their circumstances with me. One friend told me that her house had flooded, another spoke of a family member who has been suffering from depression, still others are grappling with their finances, and sadly several friends have lost loved ones.

We are all travelers on this journey called life, and while we cannot walk someone else’s path, we can help our fellow voyagers get back on their feet when they stumble or offer them respite when they are weary. Often the things we can do for one another will not change the circumstances of the situation. When someone dies, we are helpless to bring that person back to life. But that does not mean that we are powerless to help. We can offer to cook a meal, or help with some chores, or we can just sit and cry with them. Being willing to share another’s (sometimes painful) experience helps to make their journey a bit more bearable, a little less lonely.

These past few weeks I have greatly appreciated the friends who called to ask how I was and to say that they’d been thinking of me. That simple gesture was like a life line tossed out into a stormy sea. These friends were recognizing my struggle and offering assistance if needed and I am most grateful for their concern.

In that same spirit of helping one another, a few days ago, I brought a quiche to a family mourning the loss of a loved one. A simple offering to let them know that my heart aches too – and that they are not alone in their grief.

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” ~Edmund Burke

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou